The present invention relates generally to a hinge for a refrigerator and particularly a plastic top hinge for a refrigerator cabinet door.
In refrigerator cabinets, a hinge is provided to allow the cabinet door to swing open. Typically, there is a bottom hinge with an upwardly projecting hinge pin (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,842) and a top hinge with a hinge pin projecting downwardly from a hinge body, with the door pivoting on these two hinge pins. The bottom hinge supports most of the vertical load, or weight of the door, and the top hinge, in addition to providing the upper point of rotation, must support loads associated with the fact that the door is mounted in a cantilevered manner, so there are side loads on the hinge pin which act to bend and twist the hinge body. In the past, it has been common to use a metal hinge plate and hinge pin, to provide the strength necessary to support the load imposed by the door, and objects carried in the door, or users pulling downwardly on the door. For aesthetic purposes, a plastic cover was mounted over the hinge pin, for example with threaded fasteners.
It would be an improvement in the art if a top hinge were provided for a refrigerator that would reduce the cost, weight and assembly steps involved in presently available refrigerator door hinges.